[Surgery in the treatment of nonvaricose upper digestive hemorrhages]

The surgical treatment in 154 patients with upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage, was analyzed retrospectively. One hundred and twenty-two were males (79.2%) and 20.7% were females. Mean age was 58.3 years. Surgery was performed immediately or on a wait and see fashion, according to the evolution of the bleeding, during 1985-1989. Survivals were analyzed with the chi-square test with 95% confidence limits. Overall mortality was 11.68% (18 patients), 12.69% after immediate surgery and 9.1% after deferred surgery. Resections had a higher mortality than simple suture in patients with associated severe risk and urgent surgical indication. In patients with less risk, a vagotomy procedure is added if no intercurrent diseases are present. Gastrectomy should be performed only out of necessity.